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Be prepared for lane closures and delays on 10th Street, Greeley officials warn — construction has begun on long-awaited improvements to the corridor to dress it up and enhance public safety.

Work began this week on the first phase of improvements, which includes landscaping, sidewalks, pedestrian lighting and the elimination of some driveways, from 25th to 31st Avenues.

Eric Bracke, Greeley traffic engineer, said much of the construction will require one lane closure on either westbound or eastbound 10th Street.

During construction, which is slated to last through September, Bracke recommended motorists use alternative routes, such as 4th or 13th streets.

He said he is hopeful the “smart” traffic signals installed on 10th Street in early 2012, which sense traffic flow and adjust their timing to create a green tunnel for large groups of vehicles, will ease congestion.

Bracke said there will also be electronic message boards notifying motorists of upcoming lane closures and other possible traffic delays.

In a one-mile stretch, motorists can access businesses lining 10th Street from 90 driveways and intersections — too many for the heavy traffic that corridor sees, Greeley public works officials say.

Bracke said among the targeted areas in this phase of construction are the south side of the corridor between 30th and 31st avenues by Arby’s, the frontage road in front of the McDonald’s under renovation, the Greeley Plaza Shopping Center, and a median widening from in front of the Greeley police station to 25th Avenue.

This phase is expected to cost about $2 million. About $800,000 had to be cut out of original plans because of funding issues, Bracke said, meaning the medians won’t get quite as much landscaping or rain gardens, an urban landscaping element that uses stormwater to irrigate.

“It’s still going to be green, but there will be more artwork, urban design type elements,” he said.

When more money does become available, Bracke said those features could be added later.

Most of the project is funded through a federal grant — the Federal Surface Transportation Program — awarded through the North Front Range Metropolitan Planning Organization. The city of Greeley is contributing 17 percent of the project cost with General Fund money.

Two more phases of construction are planned after this one to allow more time for the city to get right-of-way agreements in place.

Bracke said design work also has begun on the “triangle” intersection at 23rd Avenue, which drew the most public comment when city officials asked for feedback on 10th Street improvements.

The concrete triangle in the middle of the intersection will change shape and will be landscaped with a sidewalk for pedestrians, and left turn lanes will be improved, Bracke said.

Becky Safarik, Greeley’s assistant city manager, said the new design will allow pedestrians to cross from the west side of 23rd Avenue safely.

Safarik said she thinks motorists will notice a dramatic difference, too, with landscaping on that triangle.

Improvements to the 23rd Avenue intersection would be done with funds from Greeley’s Urban Renewal Authority.

Plans have also been in the works to move or beautify the fence around the Xcel substation, which is on the southwest corner of that intersection.

Greeley’s Art Commission identified the fence as a potential place for public art, but that project has been put on hold as Xcel modifies its facilities across the state, Safarik said.